Container for maintaining temperature of bottled beverages



April 1961 J. H. NORTON ET AL 2,979,227

CONTAINER FOR MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE OF BOTTLED BEVERAGES Filed May 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG l FIGA. 2

73 INVENTORS JEROME H. NORTON RUSSELL E TABER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,979,227 Patented Apr. 11, 1961 CONTAINER FOR MAINTAINING TEMPERA- TUBE OF BOTTLED BEVERAGES Jerome H. Norton, Union Township, Clement County, Ohio (9107 Old Orchard Drive, Cincinnati 30, Ohio), and Russell E. Taber, 6722 Hammerstone Way, Mariemont, Cincinnati 27, Ohio Filed May 15, 1958, Ser. No. 735,416

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-105) This invention relates to a package of containers for beverages, or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a refrigerated package which is readily portable.

Bottled beverages commonly are sold in packages or cartons containing a small number of containers, for example, six bottles, which containers can readily be carried. Such containers of beverages may be refrigerated, but, when a carton is removed from refrigeration,

the contents of the containers rapidly warm to an unsatisfactory temperature. An object of this invention is to provide a package for a small number of bottles or the like which is adapted to keep the bottles cold for a substantial period.

A further object of this invention is to provide a package which includes a conventional inner carrying case or carton for beverage containers and an outer cover of water-impervious material for holding ice surrounding containers in the carton.

A further object .of this invention is to provide a combined carton and outer case of this type having top flaps which close the outer cover and through which a handle extends to engage the inner container at a handle-opening therein for carrying the containers and ice.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the ant to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a beverage package constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation showing the package illustrated in Fig. 1, one flap of the cover being shown open, other flaps of the cover being broken away to reveal structural details;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 showing the outer cover closed with ice surrounding bottles therein;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the outer cover with the carton and bottles removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a view in bottom plan of the outer cover, parts being broken away to reveal internal construction;

Fig. 6 is a plan'view of a blank from which the outer cover is formed; and

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation showing a handle and a handle clamp which form a part of the device, removed therefrom.

In the following detailed description, and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is shown a conventional carton 10 for carrying six bottles 12 of soft drinks, or the like. The carton has a bottom panel 13 (Fig. 3) on which the bottles '12 rest, side panels 14 which hold the bottles in place, and a central panel 15 extending between rows of bottles in which is formed a handle opening 16. This type of carton is commonly employed in the sale of bottled beverages in groups of six bottles.

To the conventional carton already described, we add an outer cover 17 which is formed of liquid-impervious sheet material. The outer cover can be formed of the transparent, flexible sheet material commonly known as Pliofilm, or other suitable flexible sheet material. The sheet material is cut to a blank of the form shown in Fig. '6. In Fig. 6 lines, of fold are indicated in dotted lines, but it is to be understood that the flexible sheet material does not ordinarily form sharp folds or creases. The blank includes a front panel 18, a side panel 19, and a back panel 21, which are unitary and hinged together along lines of told 22 and 23. Half-size side panels 24 and 26 are hinged to outer edges of the front panel 18 and the back panel 21, respectively, along lines of fold 27 and 28. An upper front panel 29 and a lower front panel 31 are hinged to top and bottom edges of the front panel 18 along fold lines 32 and 33, respectively. An upper side panel 34 and a triangular-shaped lower side panel 36 are hinged to the top and bottom edges of the side panel 19 along lines of fold 37 and 38, respectively. An upper back panel 39 and a lower back panel 41 are hinged to the upper and lower edges of the back panel 21 along lines of fold 42 and 43, respectively.

An upper half-size side panel 44 and a triangular lower, half-size panel 46 are hinged to upper and lower edges of the half-size side panel 24 along lines of fold 4-7 and 48, respectively. Another upper half-size panel 49 and another triangular lower half-size side panel 51 are hinged to upper and lower edges of the half-size side panel 26 along lines of fold 52 and 53, respectively. The lower front panel '31 is linked to the lower half-size side panel 46 and the lower side panel 36 by flaps 54 and 56, respectively. The lower back panel 41 is linked to the lower half-size side panel 51 and to the lower side panel 5 36 by flaps 57 and 58, respectively. I

Side sealing flaps having sections 59a, 59b, 59c, and sections 61a, 61b, and 616, are hinged to the outer edges of the panels 49, 26, 51, 44, 24, and 46, respectively.

Lower sealing flaps having sections 62a, 62b, 63a, 63b, 64a and 64b are hinged to lower edges of the flaps 51, 58, 56, and 54, and panels 41 and 31, respectively, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 6, the upper back panel 39 contains a pair of spaced perforations Y66 and 67. The upper side panel 34 contains an enlarged perforation 68, The

upper front panel 29 contains an elongated slot 69. An

enlarged perforation 49a extends into both the upper half-size side panel 49 and the sealing flap 59a hinged thereto. An enlarged perforation 44a extends into both the upper half-size side panel 44 and the sealing flap 61a hinged thereto. The function of the perforations and slot will be set forth hereinafter.

In the assembly of the outer cover, the side sealing flap sections 59a, 59b, and 596, are sealed to the side sealing flap sections 61a, 61b, and 610, respectively. In addition, the lower sealing flap sections 62a, 64a, and 62b are sealed to the lower sealing flap sections 63a, 64b, and 63b, respectively. The material of which the outer cover is formed can be of a heat-sealing type, and the sealing flap sections can be heat-sealed together or can be sealed with an appropriate water-insensitive adhesive.

The outer cover can then be set up to the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the lower front panel 31 and the lower back panel 41 form a rectangular bottom for the outer cover with the panels 36, 46 and 51 and the flaps 54, 56, 57, and 58 folding thereunder. As shown in Fig. 4, when the outer cover is set up, the cover has a hollow lower section of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section. The upper end is open and the upper front panel 29, the upper side panel 34, and the upper back panel 39 can extend outwardly from the open end. The upper half-size side panels 44 and 49 are 3 joined together and also can extend outwardly from the open end. 7

The carton 10 and bottles 12 therein are then loaded into the outer cover 17, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and-3. As shown in Fig. 3, lumps 70 of ice can be placed inside the outer cover 17 surrounding the bottles. As the ice melts, water formed by the melting of the ice collects inside the outer cover and is held thereby as indicated at 71 in Fig. 3.

The upper panels are folded inwardly over the tops of the bottles 12, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and are held in place by a handle member 72 and a clamp 73. As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the handle member 72 is of generally U-shape and includes an upper hand-grip section 74 and side arms 76 and 77 (Figs. 2 and 7). The side arms 76 and 77 terminate in hooks 78 and 79, re spectively. The upper side panel 34 and the panel formed by the upper half-size side panels 44 and 49 fold inwardly first with the upper back panel 39 thereover. The arms of the handle member extend through the perforations in the aforementioned panels 39, 34, 44, and 49 and the hooks 78 and 79 engage the central panel of the carton at the handle opening 16. The upper front panel 29 can then be folded downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the slot 69 therein receives the handle member 72. The clamp member 73 can then be mounted on the side arms of the handle member 72 to engage the upper panels of the outer cover to hold the upper panels closed. The clamp member 73, as shown, is in the form of a conventional bottle and can opener and includes flanges 84 and 86 which engage the side arms 76 and 77 of the handle member. The handle member can be made of resilient material so that the clamp member firmly engages but is releasable from the side arms.

The package consisting of carton, bottles, and outer cover, can readily be carried by means of the handle member 72. The ice inside the outer cover keeps beverage in the bottles cold for a substantial period. Water formed by melting of the ice is caught and retained inside the outer cover as indicated at 71 in Fig. 3.

When the bottles are to be used, the clamp member 73 (Fig. 3) is removed and the upper panels of the outer cover are opened. The upper front panel 29 is first opened. Then the hooks 78 and 79 are released from the central panel 15 of the carton and are slid throughthe perforations in the upper side panels to release the upper side panels so that the upper side panels and the upper back panel can be opened. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the perforations in the upper back panel are substantially smaller than the perforations in the upper side panels, so that the handle member may be held therein when the outer cover is open.

The package construction illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the ap pended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

D 1. A package for refrigerated beverages which comprises a carton having a bottom for supporting a plurality of bottles and an upright panel having a handle opening therein, an outer cover of flexible liquid-impervious sheet material comprising an enclosed lower section surrounding the carton, the upper end thereof being open, and upper panels for closing the open upper end, there being perforations in the upper panels, a handle member comprising an upper hand grip section, side arms, and hooks at lower ends of the side arms, the side arms of the handle member extending through the perforations of the upper panels with the hooks engaging the upright panel of the carton at the handle opening for carrying the package to hold the outer cover in a position embracing the carton and bottles therein, the outer cover being adapted to hold water formed by melting of ice surrounding the bottles.

2. A package for refrigerated beverages which comprises a carton having a bottom for supporting a plurality of bottles and an upright panel having a handle opening therein, an outer cover of flexible liquid-impervious sheet material comprising an enclosed lower section surrounding the carton, the upper end thereof being open, an upper front panel, an upper back panel and a pair of upper side panels for closing the open upper end, an inverted U-shaped handle member comprising an upper hand grip section, side arms, and hooks at lower ends of the side arms, there being a pair of spaced perforations in the upper back panel, and perforations in the upper side panels, the side arms of the handle member extending through the perforations of the upper back panel and the upper side panels with the hooks engaging the upright panel of the carton at the handle opening, there being an elongated slot on the upper front panel for receiving the handle, and a clamp member slidably mounted on and spanning the side arms of the handle member, the clamp member releasably engaging the upper panels to hold the upper panels against tops of the bottles in the carton in a closed position, the handle holding the outer cover in a position embracing the carton and the bottles therein, the outer cover being adapted to hold water formed by melting of ice surrounding the bottles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Dec. 17, l878 

